Sutera plant named ‘KLESG12346’

ABSTRACT

A new  Sutera  plant particularly distinguished by having dark blue flowers, a trailing plant habit, and good branching, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Sutera grandiflora.

Variety denomination: ‘KLESG12346’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Sutera, botanically known as Sutera grandiflora, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘KLESG12346’. ‘KLESG12346’ originated from an open-pollination between the proprietary female Sutera variety ‘SnBigPinki’ (unpatented) and an unknown male Sutera variety in the summer of 2009.

In August of 2009, seed was collected from the open-pollination between the two Sutera parental lines, ‘SnBigPinki’ and an unknown Sutera in Stuttgart, Germany. The seeds were sown and plants were grown for evaluation. A plant line was selected in May 2010 which had dark blue flowers and was subsequently named ‘KLESG12346’. In June 2010, ‘KLESG12346’ was first vegetatively propagated by in-vitro cultivation in Stuttgart, Germany. ‘KLESG12346’ was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via in-vitro cultivation in Stuttgart, Germany.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Dark blue flower color;     -   2. A trailing plant habit; and     -   3. Good branching.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Plant Breeders Right for this variety were applied for in Canada on Feb. 8, 2013, Application No. 13-7927 and with the European Community Plant Variety Office on Jun. 25, 2013, File No. 2013/1700. ‘KLESG12346’ has not been sold or made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing date of this subject application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Sutera plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows the foliage, buds, and a close-up of the flowers.

The photograph is of a five-month-old plant grown in Stuttgart, Germany in August 2011. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘KLESG12346’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions by in-vitro cultivation carried out in Stuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on 11-week-old plants grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Stuttgart, Germany in May 2013. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2005).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Scrophulariaceae.         -   Botanical.—Sutera grandiflora.         -   Common.—Sutera.         -   Designation.—‘KLESG12346’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Sutera line ‘SnBigPinki’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—An unknown Sutera line. -   Plant:     -   -   Habit.—Trailing.         -   Height.—About 10.0 cm.         -   Spread.—33.0 cm.         -   Life cycle.—Blooms from April until September.         -   Form.—Round.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—5 weeks.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence on the plant.—About 7 days.         -   Root description and habit.—Fine, fibrous and color is white             to cream-white. -   Stems:     -   -   Number of stems per plant.—6.         -   Length.—About 20.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144A.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Anthocyanin.—Absent. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Single, opposite.         -   Quantity of leaves per branch.—About 20, but this is             dependent on the age of the plant.         -   Leaf type.—Simple.         -   Shape.—Ovate, acute angle to the stem.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Length.—Between 1.1 cm and 2.0 cm.         -   Width.—Between 1.1 cm and 2.4 cm.         -   Color (both immature and mature leaves).—Upper surface: RHS             137A. Lower surface: RHS 137C.         -   Appearance (both upper and lower surfaces).—Leathery.         -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Leathery.         -   Venation type.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color (both upper and lower surfaces).—RHS 144A.         -   Variegation.—Absent.         -   Fragrance.—Present.         -   Petiole.—Length: 0.5 cm, but depends on the leaf size.             Diameter: 0.1 cm to 0.2 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: RHS             143B (Green). -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Blooming habit.—Freely flowering.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowers 4 weeks after potting;             flowers year around in moderate climates; if in full sun and             heat, flowering stops.         -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Flowers are not really             self-cleaning, but because of the quantity of flowers on the             plant, old flowers will not be noticeable.         -   Quantity of inflorescence per stem.—About 9.         -   Type of inflorescence.—Flowers are often solitary, most             often 2 flowers per node are developed.         -   Fragrance.—Present.         -   Pedicel.—Color: RHS 144A. Length: About 0.8 cm to 1.0 cm.             Diameter: About 0.1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Strength:             Moderate to strong.         -   Peduncle.—Absent. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Tubular.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Length.—0.3 cm.         -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS 155A. -   Corolla (flower):     -   -   Corolla type and shape.—Single-type, nearly round, lower             part tube and funnel shaped formed by 5 fused petals, upper             part is salver shaped formed by the partly free petal lobes.         -   Corolla, horizontal diameter.—1.8 cm.         -   Corolla, total length.—1.6 cm.         -   Corolla tube length.—0.7 cm.         -   Corolla tube width.—0.5 cm.         -   Throat.—Color, inner surface: RHS 23A. Color, outer surface:             RHS 15B. Diameter: 0.4 cm. Texture of throat (both inner and             outer surfaces): Smooth. -   Petal (lobes):     -   -   Apex.—Rounded tips.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 93D. Lower surface: RHS 90B.         -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Smooth.         -   Length.—About 0.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 0.8 cm. -   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement and appearance.—Whorl of 5 sepals surrounding             the base of the flower tube, sepals are fused at the base.         -   Sepals.—Color (both upper and lower surfaces): RHS 141D.             Length: 1.1 cm. Width: 0.1 cm. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.             Margin: Entire. Texture (both upper and lower surfaces):             Densely pubescent. Shape: Lanceolate, acuminate. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 4. Filament: Color: RHS 155B. Length:             0.6 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Anther color: RHS 15D. Pollen             amount: Abundant. Pollen color: RHS 22A.         -   Pistil.—Quantity per flower: 1. Length: 1.1 cm. Stigma             color: RHS 145C. Style color: RHS 155B. Style length: About             0.7 cm. Ovary color: RHS 143B (Green). -   Fruit and seed set:     -   -   Capsulates/fruit.—Color: RHS 137C. Size: 0.5 cm×0.4 cm.             Shape: Ovate.         -   Seeds.—Color: RHS 20A. Size: About 0.1 cm. Shape: Round. -   Disease and pest/insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINE AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLESG12346’ is distinguished from its female parent as described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Line Trait ‘KLESG12346’ ‘SnBigPinki’ Flower color Dark blue Pink

‘KLESG12346’ is most similar to the Sutera plant named ‘Gulliver Lavender’ (unpatented). Differences between the two varieties are described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Trait ‘KLESG12346’ ‘Gulliver Lavender’ Flower color Dark blue Light blue Branching More branching than Less branching than ‘Gulliver Lavender’ ‘KLESG12346’ 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Sutera plant named ‘KLESG12346’ as illustrated and described herein. 